Airplane



H. EARL.

AIRPLANE. I

APPLICATION FILED JAN.12, 1920. 1,432,445. I Patented Oct. 17,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

H. EARL.

AIRPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12. 1920.

Patented Oct. 17,1922.

Harrq ErI 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. Hm m Patented Oct. 17, 1922.

UNITED STATES -PATENT. OFFICE.

HARRY EARL, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

AIRPLANE.

Application filed January 12, 1920. Serial No. 35(l,814.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY EARL, a citiand I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates broadly to new and useful improvements in flying-machines, and more particularly to the propelling and steering means for standard types of airplanes, dirigibles and the like.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a more positive control for directing the flying machine than is possible through the usual horizontal and ver-,

tical rudders and the ailerons. In other words in my invention I depend upon a propeller, the axis of which is tiltable together with ordinary horizontal and vertical rudders for controlling the direction of movements of the machine.

tion relates to an improved unitary control for manipulating the several steering mechanisms. 7

With these general objects and the obvious advantages resulting therefrom in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view Referring more particularly to these draw v ings, it will be seen that the reference character A denotes broadly an airplane which includes a body 1, a fuselage 2, wings 3, running gear 4, engine 5, propeller 6, a vertical rudder 7 and horizontal rudders 8. The vertical rudder 7 is hinged as at 9 to the tail end of the body 1, and the horizontal rudders 8 are pivoted as at 10 thereto. Otherwise but for the mounting of the engine 5 and the propeller 6, the airplane may be of any standard construction except as hereinbefore mentioned the usual ailerons are not needed.

In the form of the invention depicted the A further important object of the inven-.

engine is mounted upon a frame'll secured to and above the fuselage 2,"and the crank shaft thereof is geared to a collar 12 as at 13, this collar being in turn gear connected as at 14 with a horizontalshaft 15.

The collar 12 is journaled on the upper pivot 16 of a vertically tiltable frame 17 which is provided with a similar lower pivot 18. In practice the frame 17 is disposed at the front end of the airplane as shown in Figure 1, its upper pivot 16 being journaled in a bearing 16' forming part of the frame 11, I

and its lower pivot 18 is similarly mounted in a bearing 18 which is a part of a lower stationary supporting frame 19.

IJilie propeller 6 is carried upon a propeller' shaft 20 journaled within and between the sidebars of a substantially rec tangular, horizontally tiltable frame 21. This frame 21 has trunnions 22 and 23 extending from opposite ends and journaled ig bearings 24 of the vertically tiltable frame 1 I The horizontally tiltable frame 21 carries a drive shaft 25, one end of which is geared as at 26 to the propeller shaft 20, while the opposite end extends through the hollow trunnion 23 and carries a sprocket or the like 27 By means of a similar sprocket or the like 28 on the end of the shaft 15 and a connecting chain or member 29, the rotation of the crank shaft of the motor 5 is transmitted through the gear connection 13, collar '12, gear connection 14, shaft 15, sprocket connections 27, 28 and 29, drive shaft 25, gearconnection 26 and the propeller shaft 20 to the propeller 6. In this regard it might be mentioned that in the case of certain types of airplanes and motors, the latter may be mounted directly within the horizontally tiltable frame 21 to drive the propeller shaft directly and thus eliminate the drive connections between the motor and propeller as illustrated in the accompanying lrawings.

From this description it will be seen that the axis of the propeller 6, or in other words therpropeller shaft 20, may be tilted vertically by movement of the frame 21 upon its trunnions 22 and 23, or shifted to the left or to the right of the longitudinal center line of the airplane A. By such an arrangement the nose of the latter may be directed toward the right by swinging the frame 17 in this direction, ortoward the leftby movingthe frame in an opposite direction, or upwardly by tilting the front side of the frame 21 upwardly, or downwardly by disposing the axis of the propeller 6 in the same direction. In other words the steering of the airplane may be controlled by placing the axis of the propeller at d1fferent angles to the longitudinal axle of the airplane.

Vertical rotation of the frame 17 is preferably obtained as shown most clearly in Figure 2, and is procured primarily through a control lever 30, known in airplane parlance as the joy stick. The lever is pivoted intermediate its ends to a yoke 31, one arm of which is keyed to a sleeve 32. The forward end of this sleeve carries a gear 33, and journaled therein is a shaft 34, thesame also having a gear adjacent the gear 33. Meshed with the teeth of the gear 35 is a similar gear 36keyed to the lower pivot 18 of the frame 1'7.

The shaft 34 extends through and between both of the arms of the yoke 31, its rear end portion being journaled in a sleeve 37 the purpose of which will be later described. Between the arms of the yoke, the lever 30 is provided with a two-faced clutch element 38 slidable and rotatable 0n the shaft 34, one face of which is designed to cooperate with a clutch element 39 keyed upon said shaft 34. With this arrangement, it will be seen that if the clutch element 38 is connected with the element 39 and the lever 30 rocked, the frame 17 will be swung upon its pivots 16 and 18. the direction of movement thereof depending. upon the direction of movement of the lever 30. During this last described operation the frame 21 will maintain its relative position with respect to the frame 17 since the gears and 46 remain in fixed position with respect to each other;

Provision is made for locking the frame 17 in any one of its several positions, which means includes a quadrant 40 having teeth therein with which a detent 41 cooperates. From Figure 1 it will be seen that this detent consists of a bell crank one arm of which is connected-by a rod 42 with the lever 30. The connection between the rod 42 and lever 30 is of a pin-and-slot. nature as at 43 (see Figure 2). A spring 44 con nected with the rod 42 exerts its tension in such a manner as to always urge the detent into engagement with the quadrant 40.

The sleeve 32 and gear 33 hereinbefore referred to form elements in a chain of connection between the lever 30 and the horizontally tiltable frame 21. In other words the of the fact that the yoke 31 has one of its arms keyed to the sleeve 32, it is obvious that upon rocking of the lever 30 the frame 21 will be tilted.

The steering operations of the propeller are aided by the provision of the horizontal and vertical rudders 8 and 7 respectively, although this may not be absolutely essential, therefore the lever 30 is designed to coordinate and synchronize the movements of the frames 17 and 21 with the movements of the vertical and horizontal rudders respectively. As hereinbefore mentioned the. shaft 34 extends through the arms of the yoke 31, and it likewise is journaled in and extended through the sleeve 37, its rear end having a gear 51 thereon which meshes with a gear 52 on the shaft of a drum A rudder cable 54 is connected with the vertical rudder 7 and wound around the drum 34 so that upon rotation of said drum this rudder is moved. In view of the fact that the clutch element 39 is keyed to the shaft 34, the rudder 7 will be swung in a proper direction at the same time the frame 17 is moved. The sleeve 37 at its outer end carries a drum 55 around which rudder cables 56 are wound, the ends of these cables being connected to the arms 57 of the horizontal rudders 8. The inner end of this sleeve 37 carries a clutch element 58 and a toothed locking member 59. A detent 60 cooperates with the teeth of the member 59 to hold the sleeve 37 against accidental rotation, and this detent is unlocked by movement of the clutch element 38 toward the cooperating clutch element 58., the former having a trip 61 for engagement with a trip finger 62 of the detent 60. A pull spring 63 normally urges the detent 60 into active co-operation with the teeth of the member 59. Thus when it is desired to shift the horizontal rudders 8 simultaneously with the movement of the frame 21, it is necessary to actuate the lever 30 for the engagement of the clutch elements 38 and 58 and then rock the same from side to side. The loose connection between the lever 30 and the rod 42 allows this engagement between the clutch elements 38 and 58 Without releasing .the detent 41 from the quadrant 40.

It is believed that the method of operation of the invention is readily discernible from the foregoing description and that consequently a detailed explanation of the operation is unnecessary. However, it might be again briefly pointed out that the lever 30 simultaneously controls the shifting of the frame 17 and the vertical rudder 7 but that the tilting of the frame 21 may be secured independently of or simultaneously with the movement of the horizontal rudders 8. F urthermore except during actual movements by means of the lever 30, the frame 17 and p the vertical rudder 7 are locked by the quadrant 40 and detent 41, and the horizontal -tion without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. In a flying machine, a main body frame, a second frame mounted to swing about a, vertical axis therein, a propeller frame mounted to tilt about a horizontal axis in the second frame and having a propeller rotatably mounted therein, a longitudinally disposed sleeve journaled in the main frame, a gear secured to the propeller frame concentrically with its horizontal axis and operatively connected with said sleeve, a shaft journalled in said sleeve, a gear secured to the second frame concentrically with its vertical axis and operatively connected to said shaft, and means for selectively rocking said shaft and sleeve together, or said sleeve alone to swing said second frame or tilt said propeller frame respectively.

2. In a flying machine, and main body frame, a propeller, a hollow shaft j ournalled in said frame, a second shaft journalled in the hollow shaft, means operable upon rocking movement of said hollow shaft for tilting the axis of the propeller in a vertical plane, means operable upon rocking movement of both shafts together for swingin the axis of the propeller in a horizonta plane, and a single lever operable to accomplish either of said shaft movements selectively.

3. In a flying machine, a main body frame, a propeller, vertical and horizontal rudders, a hollow shaft journalled in said frame, a second shaft journalled in the hollow shaft, means operable upon rocking movement of said hollow shaft for tilting the axis of the propeller in a vertical plane, means operable upon rocking movement of both shafts together for swinging the axis of the propeller in a horizontal plane, a single lever operable to accomplish either of said shaft movements selectively, means operable by said lever for tilting the horizontal rudder simultaneously with the vertical tilting of the propeller axis and for laterally swinging the vertical rudder simultaneously with the swinging movement of the propeller axis in a horizontal plane.

4:. In a flying machine, the combination with a propeller, means for driving the same, a vertical rudder and a horizontal rudder, of means for movin the axis of the propeller and the plane of file vertical rudder out of vertical parallelism with the vertical axial plane of the machine, and means for selectively moving either the axis of. the propeller, or said axis and the horizontal plane of the horizontal rudder out of horizontal parallelism with the horizontal axial plane of the machine,

5. In a flying machine, the combination with a ropeller, means for driving the same, ans a vertical rudder, of a propeller carrying frame, means for moving the frame on its vertical axis and swinging the rudder in synchrony therewith, means for simultaneously locking the frame and the rudder in any one of a plurality of positions and a single lever operable to actuate all of said means.

6. In a flying machine, the combination with a propeller, means for driving the same, and a horizontal rudder, of a propeller carrying frame, means for tilting the frame on its horizontal axis and moving said rudder on its similar axis, means for looking the rudder in any one of its several positions and a single'lever operable to actuate all of said means.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin.

HARRY EARL. 

